Fix Me
by Paradoxal
Summary: To control Black Dranzer Kai let Boris tamper with his genetic stucture. Now that he's left the Abbey he's a threat, and without Boris's monthly antidote Kai is losing control. Can Rei save him or will the DB win in destroying Kai? KxR FULL SUMMARY INSIDE
1. SICK

**Authors Note;;** My chapters will normally be this size or bigger, so don't worry about really small chapters. Though I am going to do my best to stick with the personalities from the show, I will warn you now that Kai's personality is a little...off in this chapter, so I BEG you to keep reading, at least until the second chapter, so you can see that he isn't like that through the story (at least not right away). This is a story of friends who want to protect one another, and that friendship happens to turn into more...or does it?

**Plotline;;** This takes place just before the Finals in the first season. Kai no longer posseses Black Dranzer,and Mr. Dickenson has arranged for them to spend a weak 'relaxing' before the Russian Tounament. Kai, who allowed his body to be genetically manipulated by Boris in order to properly control Dark Danzer, is now regreting this decision. With the Blade Breakers he is unable to get the monthly 'Dose', usually administered to him by Boris, and he feels he wont be able to control the monster they've made him into. To make matters worse, Voltaire has ordered Boris to send the Demolition Boys after Kai, but when Rei is put smack in the middle of things because of Kai's weakness, how can they possibly defend themselves against the genetically enhanced member of the Demolation Boys in the upcoming Finals? (The only aloof thing is that the Finals are going to be 'put on hold' for about 2 months because of some renovations going on at the stadium, giving the Blade Breakers some vacation time in the wamer parts of Russia.

**Enjoy!**

**Mass Disclaimer;;** This goes for all chapters so I don't have to repeat myself - I Own only the Plot, nothing else. All characters are from Beyblades, witch I don't own, though I wish I did, or at least Kai... ^^

**Chapter One - Sick**

**_Eternal eclipse in the teeth of the risk,_**

**_The tongue is a twist in perpetual bliss ,_**

**_Forever midnight forever midnight...,_**

Gone again...

Though the eldest team member had been acting strange ever since leaving his Grandfather and revealing Biovolts plan to create the perfect beyblade warriors, Rei had noticed his absences becoming more frequent, and not only him, but Max, Kenny, and Hilary as well- Tyson had to be 'filled in' on the situation, and though he had shrugged it off at first as 'Kai just being himself', it soon became apparent even to him that something wasn't right.

Kai had broken routine almost every day in the last two weeks now. Tyson often got the pleasure of sleeping in because the Russian boy himself was either to exhausted to wake anyone, or nowhere to be Captain would often come home completely drained or battered in some way. For Rei in particular, it was unnerving. Of all the Bladebreakers, it was Kai who could always be relied on, Kai who always knew what to do. But with the teams Captain like this, it was all Rei could do to try and motivate the Team when he wasn't around, and Tyson took every chance he could to test him.

Unless Rei _physically_ removed the Dragon from the bed, you could forget about getting the team up early for training,. To make matters worse, during meal times, the navy haired boy would insist on having Kai's share if the older teen went straight to bed, stating that ' Kai didn't deserve to eat if he was going to act like a jerk', and it was on one of these nights, that Tyson had fell on the last nerve of a certain raven haired boy.

"No,_ Your_ the jerk Tyson!" Golden eyes narrowed to slits as Rei stood up from his chair, the force enough to send it tumbling on to it's back. " Can't you you see what's happening to him?" Anger was clear in his tone, but there was something else that flashed through the Tigers furious gaze before he stormed away.

With a prompt 'Hmph!" Hilary pushed her chair away from the table and stood as well."Rei's right Tyson! Your being really immature about is really wrong with him, and he refuses to see a doctor."

"It's True, I asked him a couple of day ago if he was feeling okay- I found him out by the training dish in the yard exhausted. He said he'd overdone it training, and as soon as I mentioned a doctor he just sort of shrugged it off." Added Max, his usual smile now fleeting as concerned pressed into his features.

Tysons brows furrowed in irritation- why was everybody turning on him? "Look, you know Kai- he's way to proud to accept help from anyone, so the way I see it, we might as well not let his bad choices effect us. He doesn't_ have_ to run away every other day and do whatever he does. If he wants to go looking for trouble, then let him go!" It wasn't that Tyson wouldn't care if he thought there was reason to, but the way he saw it, Kai was just being stupid. The Phoenix didn't have to keep taking off all through out the day to put himself through whatever it was he was going through.

With a scoff Hilary left the table as well, and Max frowned at the french fries on his plate, suddenly not half as hungry as he'd been two minutes ago. Kenny, who had skipped dinner to update Tysons Blade was going to have a lot to catch up on when he came from the back room later.

* * *

><p>Rei had gone straight to his room after his outburst with Tyson, and was currently strewn across his bed, knuckles white from the grip he had on his bed sheets. 'How could he be so uncaring? Especually after all he'd just told them? His Grandfather experimented on him!' The Chinese boy just couldn't understand Tysons ignorance.<p>

Kai was far paler than usual, and his usually sharp, carmine gaze was now glazed and distant. Though he hadn't lost much weight, you could see the exhaustion weighing him down, and though his stoic exterior never faltered, everybody could see him growing weak, and they knew Kai hated it.

Rei saw it, if no one else did, the anger Kai felt with himself. He could see it in his Captains eyes every time somebody questioned his health, and he refused to give in, refused to help himself. Above all that was what bothered the Tiger, but despite the fact that his stubborn ass was killing himself, the raven haired youth just couldn't spite him for that.

He did pity Kai though. As much as he refused to let anyone close to him, there were times when Rei would catch him watching them where the beginnings of a smile were hiding on the edges of his mouth, or the rare moment when a flash of pride would shine in his eyes when a team member won a tough match. For all the little things he did that nobody really noticed, Rei couldn't help but want to help him in his time of need.

Flipping on to his side Rei stared at the wall his bed was set against, all to aware that on the other side, Kai had likely broken out into another fever in his own room. To make matters wose, The Finals against the Demolation Boys were coming up next month

With a sigh the Tiger got to his feet and went to the door, pausing only a moment to grab Driger off of his night stand before stepping into the carpeted had his own room right next door to his and Max's on the second floor, while Tyson, Kenney, and Hilary all had rooms on the main one. There was one down there for Max as well, but he was tired of waking up to Tysons god awful snoring in he next room.

Glancing around to make sure nobody would see him, he padded over to Kai's door.

He drew up to it silently, his cat like qualities giving him at least that advantage. He drew in a breath and held it, summoning utter silence. For quite a few second he heard nothing come from the room, but then, like thunder breaking, the sound of glass shattering sent Rei stumbling back. With eyes widened in surprise he drew up to the door once more, any intentions of remaining unnoticed gone as he knocked firmly on the door.

"Kai?" Silence. Panic started to blossom in the younger teens chest, and with a frown he called out once more."Kai are you-"

"I'm fine Kon." he called through the door. Though the words he spoke were the familiar, dismissive ones he normally would have used, there was something too soft about his voice, something unfamiliar in it's weakness.

"Are you sure?" Insisted Rei, a hand subconsciously placing itself on the door as if it would swing open at his touch and reveal Kai's problem. Nobody deserved what was happening to him, and if he could help, he would.

"Go to sleep." There, he could almost hear the faint touch of a smirk in the older boys words. "Good-night Kai." he said softly before going back to his room..

* * *

><p>Kai didn't move from his place on the floor beside his bed, where the remains of a broken lamp lay scattered around him. He was pale, tired, and sore, and though his teammates concern was an impressive show of loyalty- and completely expected of Rei- Kai wasn't about to drag anyone into this mess. Damn his Grandfather. Damn Biovolt. He still had nightmares, but his nightmares were nothing compared to his reality.<p>

What they had done to him would torment him forever, drawing off of his strength...and forcing him to draw off of others. That was the reason for all of his illness, all of his suffering. In the Abbey Kai had been administered his 'weekly dosage' by Boris, energy he needed to keep the the sane part of him in control, thus enabling him to use Black Dranzer to it's fullest potential.

Now that he no longer wished to protect Biovolt with the amazing new capabilities of his, he had no doubt that his Grandfather would mark him as a threat, and even less doubt that the ones sent to recover him would be The Demolation Boys. On top of this, Kai no longer had an energy source, and so his body was developing cravings

At least the DB's, however, wouldn't be seeing him until Finals, where they would no doubt try and pull something. Now that Kai could use this stength and give it to Dranzer, Tala and them would be in for one hell of a fight.

With a muffled groan he clenched his jaw, refusing to give into the pain that shot from his stomach up into his chest. He felt like he was going to be sick, but he knew better- nothing would come up even if he made his way to the bathroom, so he might as well save his strength. It was going to be a long night, and he wasn't looking forward to it. Ever since he'd left his grandfather behind he'd been without his regular doses, and it was now catching up to him.

He just couldn't keep a handle on it anymore.

* * *

><p>Silence.<p>

The entire hotel had gone completely silent, and Rei was finding it hard to bear. He had slept for only a few hours before suddenly awakening to his stomach protesting due to a lack of dinner. For a while he just lay there, trying to drift back off to sleep, but with thoughts of Kai and the tournement on his mind, it wouldn't come. Giving up he threw back his blanket and got out of was warm enough to have left his room to wander about without a shirt, but he wasn't keen on wandering around topless, so he quickly slipped a plain white undershirt and slid on some socks before leaving his room.

The cabin Mr Dickenson had placed them in for this little 'vacation' as he called it was small, but nice. The bedrooms were all big and came with their own bathroom, the kitchen was massive with an attached dining room, and there were two sitting rooms, along with one of the most stunning gardens Rei had ever seen. Located just on the edge of town and wilderness, it really was a beautiful place.

Rei yawned as he quietly slipped down the stairs, movements sluggish and eyes drooping as he slowly made his way to the fridge. Reaching out he pulled the door open before lazily looking inside. Just as he'd thought though- no left overs. Not surprising with Tyson around. With a soft growl he close the fridge and was about to head up stairs when he noticed that the front door was open. Though the saying goes 'Curiosity Got The Cat', Rei didn't seem hindered, and made his way to the screen door with interest. It was Kai.

"Kai..." called Rei softly. The wielder of the Phoenix Blade tensed visibly, and dropped his skull, his back turned to the raven haired boy. How had he not heard him coming up behind him? Kai stifled a growl as he stepped off the porch, refusing to look at his teammate."Go back to your room."

Rei frowned. Something wasn't right about this, he could sense it. Kai was acting strangely, and at three in the morning he wasn't about to let his teammate go wandering off when he clearly wasn't well. Pushing past the screen door, Rei jumped down the porch steps and headed around the side of the house after Kai. He found himself in the gardens, where the stone figures of various animals were painted white by the moons light. The garden was eerie in it's beauty at this hour, and though unnerved, he carried on, determined to find his Captain.

Sharp eyes didn't fail him, and after finding his way to the middle of the garden, where a single, massive tree stood, he paused. The tree was by far the biggest thing around, not just in it's length, but in the girth of the trunk as well. Easily four times as wide as him, it's gnarling roots leapt above the surface, and many of them were strong and large enough for Rei to have climbed on if he'd wanted to. What had really caught his attention however, was the subtle sound of fluttering material. Scarves. The white material was waving about in the shadows if the tree, and if it had not been for them Kai would have remained completely hidden in the shadows of the trees roots.

"There you are." said the raven haired boy with a smile as he stepped toward the crimson eyed teen." What are you doing out here-"

"Go Rei." Kai's voice was cold, dull.

Rei frowned, not used to the tone. Though Kai could be an ass sometimes, it wasn't often he took such a dark tone, especially not with him. It was no secret that, while he preferred to be alone, the blue haired boy preferred Rei's company to anyone else on the Bladebreakers team. Of course this acceptance consisted of little more than sharing rooms and comfortable silences.

"What? Why?" He asked, taking another step closer. Normally he wouldn't test Kai, but something was wrong...

"I said get away!" He snarled, backing up into the shadows even more. He was trying so hard not to submit, to refuse this manipulation of his will. Stinging pain was constant in his abdomen and chest, and, covered in sweat, Kai could tell his resolve was failing- the pull of Rei's aura and the sound of his blood pumping through to his heart was diving the Russian boy mad!

Rei was utterly shocked. The tone would have pained the boy if he hadn't been so completely concerned for his teammate."Don't do this..." said Rei softly, but stenly, but there was no one left to hear it.

Kai couldn't hear Rei anymore. His vision had gone red, and his mind was a blur of confused sound and images. Something feral had awoken in Kai, and the cool, and collected, though smug Captain Rei once knew was gone, and poor Rei had gotten too close.

* * *

><p>With speed that shamed his own, shocking Rei, Kai was before him, a single hand grabbing the collar of his shirt. With a soft growl the assaulting teen slammed him up against the trunk of the ancient tree, his grip going from his teammates shirt to his throat. Slowly his grip began to tighten.<p>

With Kai's eyes pointed down and his wild hair blocking his face, Rei could not see what was passing over his friends features. Confusion and anger bubbled inside the Chinese boy as he struggled to get out of Kai's chokehold, but his grip was like an iron shackle, and the younger boy was unable to slip away. Slowly he felt his air being cut off, and panic took hold of him.

"Kai..." Nothing.

"Please..." Nothing.

Rei was sure this was it, that his delusional Team mate was going to end him. If he'd been expecting it he might have had time to defend, but he trusted Kai, and hadn't expected this. Why had he not noticed something sooner? Why hadn't he persisted more? His friend was breaking, and he couldn't stop it.

"...I'm Sorry." The tightening stopped.

Rei could feel his strength ebbing away, and see his vision starting to bleed into itself. Just like that Kai's grip around Rei neck faltered, and the Tiger fell to the ground coughing. For a second Kai did nothing, but when Rei called out to him again, he seamed to hear him this time.

"Kai..."

His name was practically whimpered through a pained throat, and something seamed to shift in the boys mind. Slowly his eyes fell on Rei's, not hearing the shocked gasp the boy gave when he noticed Kai's eyes. Once a brilliant ruby, they were now a colorless black, as if the pupils had swallowed the pools. Kai wanted to kill him. Every single fiber of his genetically engineered body screamed at him to kill the boyat his feet, to drain it of it's life and use it for himself- every single fiber- except one. No matter what experiments his grandfather had done to him, Kai was still locked away in there somewhere, and he didn't want this.

With heavy breaths Kai fought to control himself, and slowly he stepped back. Rei, however, wasn't going to have it.

Determination was etched into his features, and Rei got to his feet and closed the space between him and Kai in two strides. When the older teen tried to draw away Rei grabbed him by the wrist, preventing his escape."Tell me what's happening to you." Once more there was that pleading tone, that desperation, and the animal inside was stirred by it. With a growl Kai's free arm wrapped around the other boys waist, pulling the Tiger close to him,their bodies pressing together in a way that caused 'Rei to blush in a horrified manner." K..Kai!" he protested, trying to squirm out of the grip of the stronger teen to no success.

Kai had yet to move, features hidden by his thick dual colored hair as he stood there holding the younger teen to him."Be quiet." He growled softly, the husky tone drawing forth hot breath that tickled Rei's neck and caused him to tense. Slowly Kai drew nearer to him, nose trailing along his jaw line. Rei was literally in shock. He couldn't move for some reason, and his heart was pounding in his chest at a painful rate. What was Kai doing, touching him like this? This wasn't right...

Eyes widened and slits narrowed as a soft kiss was left on his jaw, and then his neck. Electricity crackled in his very veins, and it was all he could do not to gasp at the trembling he couldn't help, and all the while Rei's hand still gripped the older teens wrist.

Kai was lost in a hail of thought. On one hand there was him, who was shocked and appalled by what he was doing to his teammate but unable to stop it, and on the other, the urges and instinct of his body were demanding more. It was all he could do to stop himself from killing Rei, but he just didn't have the strength to stop this too.

"Rei." he murmured into the frozen boys neck as he planted another kiss before letting his tongue run over the smooth flesh of his nape. He could feel Rei's pulse, could sense his delicious aura and smell the blood just beneath the skin his tongue ran across.

With a sharp intake of air Rei failed to stifled a soft, but very unexpected moan and the Tiger steadied himself in the only way he knew how- by grabbing on to the front of Kai's shirt." Stop." Commanded the black haired boy, but he went unheard. That single sound appealed to the monster, and Kai growled into his captives neck, arm tightening possesively around the Chinese boys waist.

Never before had Kai Hiwatari touched someone like this. He was both ashamed and enthralled by the mere possibility of it, but above all, was horrified of what would come after this, if his teammate survived. How would he ever explain this? Slowly he backed Rei up against the ancient tree, letting his now free hand tangle itself in the other boys hair. So soft...

Rei was still frozen, forced partly from shock, but mostly due to the effects of Kai's aura. It was part of his arsenal, this deadly allure, this paralyzation upon contact.

Kai could feel the boy in his grip shaking, but he couldn't stop himself. Slowly, another well placed kiss turned into a bite.

"Stop!" he screamed as fangs sunk into muscle, into vein. The spurt of hot blood that burst into Kai's mouth caused a very audible moan of relief, and Rei found himself stunned. Though he was angry, terrified even, as he was forced with his back to the tree, Kai's strong hands holding him close and teeth sunk into him, he did not feel dread. It stung, burned even, but in a way that made him want to sigh in satisfaction along with the grimace of pain on his face. What was wrong with him? Wat was wrong with Kai?

For about two minutes they stayed like that, Rei growing weaker as Kai coaxed his blood from him, in return dawing the enegy from Rei's aura, all the while betrayed by his senses witch were bewitched with pleasure.

* * *

><p>Kai, now that he had blood in him, felt stronger, and he slowly pulled his teeth from his team mates neck. For a moment the stripe faced teen just stood there panting heavily, beaded in sweat, head still in the crook of Rei's neck with his lips hovering just above skin ."Rei..." he whispered softly, control slowly starting to ebb back into him. When he got no reply he slowly drew back only to find that the boy had passed out. Shit.<p>

Carefully he pulled the boy toward him, away from the tree and against his chest. Rei was pale, but warm, and after checking his vitals Kai was convinced that, after a good rest, he'd be fine. Slowly he sunk to the ground with the boy in his arms, leaning against the tree for support. He was physically and mentally spent, and for a moment he rested his chin atop Rei's head, trying to gather enough strength to carry the boy back inside.

* * *

><p>It was another fifteen minutes before Kai could find it in him to stand. With one arm under Reis knees and another cradling his head, the captain carried him from the gardens back into the house. Though his eyes were still heavy, Kai could feel his bodys' rejuvinated strength and knew that by tomorrow he'd be back to his usual self, but at what cost? With a frown he looked back down at the boy in his arms. He didn't understand why he was still alive.<p>

Don't get him wrong- it wasn't as if Kai wanted him dead, but ever since he'd left Biovolt he'd get these urges once a month, urges to sink his teeth into something. He always resisted for as long as he could, but in the end something always snapped and he would give in. The people he fed off of normally were sucked dry- no, not normally, but always. Why, tonight, had it not been the same? _Because it's rei_. A voice whispered in his head. It was easy to give into his bloodlust with a stranger, but when it was somebody he'd spent so much time with...Had it been any of the Bladebreaker Kai would have fought just as hard against it as he had tonight, wouldn't he?

Then there was the most troubling aspect of it all, the part that still made him curse under his breath every time his cheeks flushed pink. He had kissed Rei, held him even. IT wasn't bad enough that he had bitten him, but he had to humiliate himself doing it too? A soft growl escaped the older boys lips as he stepped through the front door, kicking it shut behind him. It was almost 4:30 according to the clock in the kitchen that he passed, and so he made his way upstairs as quietly as possibly, smirking softly at the sound of Tysons snoring downstairs.

He wouldn't risk waking Max up, and so he carefully opened the door to his own room instead, slipping inside soundlessly. Without bothering to turn on the light he walked over to the bed and placed Rei down on it before grabbing the twisted blankets off the floor at his feet- it had fallen with him when he'd broken the lamp, whose shards still hadn't been cleaned. Shaking the blanket out, he then draped over the sleaping neko before going to work cleaning up the glass. Wouldn't want him to step on _that_ in the morning. Taking a last look at the exhausted boy he couldn't help but sigh. "_I owe you one Kon." _he thought before slipping out of the room and making his way down to the couch, where he promptly passed out, all the while knowing that if Rei hadn't come...He would likely be dead.

**Authors Note;;** Well here's the first chapter, reviews will get more up faster!


	2. MEMORIES

**Authors Note;;** Here you go, the second chapter. The lyrics I chose for this chapter reflect on Kai's personal struggle, and how 'it will hurt the same' weather anyone knows whats wrong with him or not. As promised Kai has gone back to his normal self, so the fun can begin ^^

"Speaking"

_'Thinking'_

_/Flashback/_

**CHAPTER TWO - Memories**

_**Hurts the same when nobody knows  
>Guess that's just how it goes<br>And I,I won't say anything at all**_

"Hey there stranger!" Laughed Max as Kai came into the kitchen.

He had spent the night on the couch, and despite being up later than anyone, he'd also been the first to wake up that morning. Pouring himself a cup of coffee he asnwered with a 'Hm' before taking a seat at the table. Max, who was gald to see his Captain feeling more like his old self, flashed him a grin before turning on the stove and throwing a pack of bacon on the stove...Better make that two, Tyson would no doubt be up the moment the smell of bacon made it's way up to his room, and even then the boy would probably pester him for more. "Want anything Kai?" he asked, looking over his shoulder at the older teen, who simply shook his head.

Reaching up into the cupboard Max grabbed four plates and began setting them when Kai spoke up. "Rei doesn't need one." He said calmly, taking a sip from his steaming coffee. Max paused, a look of confusion flashing across his features, but he didn't push it, and put the extra plate back in the cupboard. Making his way over to the counter, Kai prepared himself some toast.

"Feeling better?" Max asked softly, not turning around to look at the older teen from his place by the stove. Kai glanced over at the boy. Normally Max had an overbearing sense of happiness about him, but it seamed that he'd curbed that enthusiasm in hopes of getting an actual answer. Kai decided to humor him."Yeah." And he meant it.

Not wanting to push his luck with the blue haired boy, Max just smiled before turning off the stove. As if on cue a thunder shook the house, and Tyson came barelling into the kitchen."FOOD!" He cried as he leaned over the stove, almost drooling on the bacon. "Tyson get back- the eggs aren't done yet!" growled Max with a laugh as he pushed the other boy away."Huh? Why are you cooking Max- Rei normally makes breakfast..?"

"Rei was up late last night, he's still sleeping." Tyson turned toward Kai, surprised that the older teen was even here."Well, look who stuck around today." He said with a grin, shooting Max a look that said he knew he'd been right about Kai. Today the older teen looked much more like his old self; the color in his face had returned, he wasn't shaking, and he was even spitting out a word or too. Much more like the old Kai. "Decide we were finally worthy of your presence?" Challenged the Dragon, a playful smirk tilting his lips up. Locking eyes with him, Kai met his challenge head on." Ten laps- now."

Tysons jaw dropped in disbeleif before whining, "Before i've even eaten?"

"Make that tweanty..."

Tyson growled, but, not wanting to get himself into any worse trouble, grudgingly headed out the kitchen door to the field they called their 'yard'. "And don't take your time out there Tyson- we have a lot of training to catch up on."

Kai didn't hear what the other boy had muttered under his breath, but as he didn't really care he turned back to the half eaten piece of toast that was in front of him.

* * *

><p>Pain.<p>

It erupted in his head the moment he acknowladged that he was no longer asleep, and he groaned at the though of actually opening his eyes. It felt like he'd been up drinking all night and was no suffering the after effects, but that couldn't be right could it? Slowly he shifted beneath the blankets, noting that something felt...different. Nuzzling deeper into the pillow he drew in a deep breath and...He froze. This wasn't his pillow, This smelled just like..."Kai?" he whispered, forcing his eyes open.

It wasn't half as bright in the room as it should have been thanks to the curtains that were drawn over the window, and so he noticed imidiately that the pillow wasn't the only thing that didn't belong to him- the room didn't either. Suddenly very interested in just what he was doing in the bed of the stoic teen, Rei gave a hasty look around the large room. "Kai?" he repeated, louder this time. When he didn't get an answer he glanced at the clock on the bedside table, and nearly fell out of bed. "That's impossible!" he said as he picked it up in his hands. 5:14? There was no way he could have slept in that long! Normally the raven haired youth was up by nine at the latest, even when he didn't have a clock set.

Getting to his feet rather quickly, Rei was caught off guard when the room suddenly lurched, and he fell back on to the matress weakly."What's wrong with me...?" he asked numbly. He was chilled, weak, light-headed, and had a nasty headache to top it all off. Sighing he decided to take it slow, and this time got to his feet with care. When the room remained right side up, he then made his way to the door, noticing only when he had the handle in his hand that there was a not taped to the door.

_Kon, I found you in the kitchen last night passed out on the floor._

_You should have eaten dinner._

_Kai,_

That's right...He _had_ gone down to the kitchen last night hadn't he...But was missing one meal enough to make him collapse, and how did Kai know he'd gone to bed without dinner? Deciding it wasn't important he turned the knob and stepped out into the hall before making his way to his own room. He needed to clear his head, he needed a shower.

Grabbing his usual attire from a dresser drawer he stepped into the bathroom and turned on the water, adjusting it to his liking before stripping off his shirt in front of the mirror."What the..." A slender hand gently came to rest on his neck. Squinting as if it would give him a better look the golden eyed neko stepped closer to the mirror, tracing his fingers along the wound. It was very sensitive to touch; two small cuts surrounded by a deep purple bruise. Had it not been for the punctures, Rei would have sworn someone had given him a hickey.

"Maybe I hit it when I passed out last night?" He mumbled, not quite convinced in his own words. Maybe Kai knew something about it- he had found him after all. Too tired to care at the moment, he stepped into the shower and sighed, feeling contented.

* * *

><p>Though the shower had helped, Rei still felt weak. He was sluggish and unalert, but made his way down the stairs into the kitchen none the less. He wasn't sure who had handled breakfast while he'd been asleep, but he had to get dinner on the table...<p>

"You okay Rei?" Hilary's voice caused him to turn, startled, and he grinned sheepishly, not wanting his friends to catch on that he wasn't feeling well. "Yeah, I'm fine Hil- why what's up?" Despite the calm, upbeat tone he tried to maintain, there was something heavy in his voice. "You just look really...tired is all." said Hilary with uncertainty.

Wanting to change the subject, Rei motioned to the stove. "Who made breakfast this morning?"

"That'd be me!" Said Max with a laugh as he, Tyson, Kai, and Kenny came in through the back door.` Though the blonde held a grin that stretched ear to ear, he was covered in dirt and clearly tired. Tyson stumbled in behind him, a twig caught in his ponytail, before collapsing on a chair. " Are you trying to kill us Kai? If I have to move one more time tonight my legs are gonna fall off!" whined the navy haired teen as he rested his chin on the table.

"If only your mouth could fall off too." mumbled Hilary, but everyone heard her and shared a laugh. Tyson glared back at her, a sore attempt at a pout on his lips.

Throughout this, Rei's golden eyes had fallen on Kai. For some reason the boy looked much better this morning, and it was hard to supress the grin that was pulling at the edges of his lips. Leave it to Kai to try and fit a weeks worth of training into one night. Returning his attention back to the blue eyed blonde who was sinking into a chair, Rei gave him a nudge as he passed him, making his way to the fridge. "I didn't know you could cook Maxie."

"Well I can't cook like you can, but eggs and bacon wasn't that hard." he replied with a smile. "Cooking as fast as Tyson was eating was the hard part." Said Max with a laugh, and even Kai cracked a smirk at that.

"Now you know why I always have like 4 things going at once." replied Rei with a chuckle.

Tyson, who could see he was becoming the butt of their jokes, crossed his arms heatedly."I can't help it- a growing boys gotta eat!"

"Yeah, but do you have to eat more than a horse?" To everyones surprise, it was Kai that said this, crimson eyes narrowed in amusement at the look on Tysons face.

"Well look who suddenly developed a sense of humor!" Replied Tyson with a frown.

Noticing that everyone was watching him he frowned and closed his eyes in defiance, arms crossing as he leaned back against the wall. He could hear them all resume their activities, but he could still feel someones eyes on him. He knew who it was long before he opened his crimson pools, but when he did, the golden eyed boy was gazing back at him as he did every other day, thoughtfully.

Brows furrowed slightly. Kai had never bitten anyone to feed before who'd survived, so he really hadn't known what to expect. From the experiments they had run he knew that he hadn't turned Rei (who only would have had a 50% chance of surviving anyways), because to do that a single bite to inject the venom was needed before sealing the wound with saliva.

'_Does that mean... he doesn't remember?' _wondered Kai as the Tiger flashed him a subtle smile before opening the cupboard. It would be nice for that memory to stay wiped from Rei's mind, but at the same time...Kai had almost drained him. Even after all that sleep the boy was still pale and shaky, and regardless of the reasuring smiles he flashed everyone, Kai could tell he wasn't at his best.

"Kon, order out." The command came sharply, but only Ray and Hilary seamed to notice the tone of it.

"Why waste the money when I can just make what we have here?" Reis eyes narrowed on Kai, who met his glare. He could tell that the older boy could see his weariness, but a little bit of work wasn't going to hurt him..

Hilary, sensing that Kai was trying to help, piped up before an argument could commence. " Yeah Rei, why not order out? Pizza sounds great!"

"Pizza? Make sure you get extra pepperoni, peppers, mushrooms, bacon bits, bacon _strips,_ olives, parmagon, sardines-" Tyson spazzed, only to be cut off by Kenny.

"Tyson, thats disgusting! Who puts fish on their Pizza?"

"Hey!" Interupted Rei, feigning insult.

"Then it's settled, Pizza it is!" Said Hilary before tossing the phone to Ray, not trusting Tyson to pick the toping.

* * *

><p>The food arrived just after six, and Team Blade Breakers had themselves draped all over one of the sitting rooms. Max and Tyson were sprawled out on the sectional watching some show in Russian that only Kai, who was occupying an arm chair, could understand. Kenny, who was stationed at a small desk, was going over some files, while Rei layed stomach down on the soft shag carpeting, feet in the air.<p>

"Come on Kai!" Whined Tyson, nudging Max to join in.

"Yeah, please?" Added Max, blue eyes wide. Kai, however, was impervious to the blonde, who could normally charm his way into getting what he wanted, and he simply scoffed before closing his eyes and crossing his arms.

"Aw, don't be like that- we want to know what they're saying!" Continued Tyson, gesturing to the T.v, where a young boy and girl were sitting by a stream conversing.

"Maybe you should find something in your own language then." snapped Kai.

"But there is nothing in English!" pushed Max, giggling as Kai's brows furrowed. Kenny was snickering from his place at the table, and Rei was doing his best to hide his smile.

"Max..." growled Kai, the warning in his voice enough to make the Blond duck behind Tyson.

"Oh don't be a spoil sport Kai- what are they saying." Joined Rei.

"You'd might as well just humor them, you know they won't stop." mused Kenny. This, however, didn't seam to sit well with the older boy, and he hastily got to his feet. "Then I'll leave."

"Don't run off- we're sorry right guys? We promise not to ask anymore." This came from Rei, who was, as usual, trying to men the groups problems. For a moment Tyson and looked as if he were going to object, but a sharp elbow from Max kept him quiet, and he nodded in agreement.

With a heavy sigh the Russian sunk back into his chair, and for a long while the promised silence lasted, and they watched the foriegn film while eating. Toward the end of the movie, however, a part came that had Kenny, Rei, Max, and Tyson staring at one another in confusion. The film, from what they could all gather, was about a girl that befriended an orphan boy in her small title that everyone else shunned for being a theif. They seamed to be falling in love, but now...they were arguing.

Kai found the desperate looks of his friends to be amusing, and he silently smirked to himself as they all struggled to keep their promise not to bother him. Tyson, once, had been about to say something, but Rei had noticed and kicked him roughly, silencing him. His eyes lingered, perhaps a moment to long, on the Tiger, in wich he acknowladged the look of confused concern that had found itself so clearly on Reis features.

"He doesn't think he's good enough for her." the voice startled everyone in the room, including Kai who had been the one to speak, but the three boys grinned apreciatively as he filled them in.

As they kept their word for the rest of the movie about not bothering him, once and a while the Phoenix, who apeared to have his attention else where, would surprise them by giving a small hint as to what was going on, and by the end of the movie, Rei in particular had a new favourite movie. He and Max were suckers for those heartfelt things.

* * *

><p>Rei had been washing his plate for about four minutes longer than was necissary, and this oddity didn't slip by Kai, who was sitting at the kitchen table watching him. All day Kai had been doing this, looking for that one hint that would tell him Rei remembered everything from that night, but it never came. A huge part of Kai was releived to know that the fluke was behind them, and that he wouldn't have to explain... It was then that a thought turned over in his mind- what was he going to explain? Rei would be able to comprehend that his violence last night had been due to the experiments on him, but that didn't excuse the less violent moments.<p>

Stress was beginning to build in the older teen, he could feel it resting in his shoulders, paining his back. Try as he might the boy couldn't figure out just what had happened back in that Garden the night before. The physical contact between them had been utterly uneccisary, and to make matters worse, he'd never experienced it before. Since leaving the Abbey, Kai had been forced to kill about 4 people in order to keep himself alive, never being able to stop himself once he started until there was nothing left, and certainly never touching them like that. Last night though he'd been at his worst ever, and he'd left his victom alive.

It didn't make sense.

"Rei." he spoke without realizing it, drawing the other teens attenion to him. "Yeah Kai?"

Not wanting to seam suspicious he mumbled a quick "Your plates clean" before rising to leave. Heading for the stairs the, he made it to the second step before something grabbed his wrist, "Kai wait!"

_/ When the older teen tried to draw away Rei grabbed him by the wrist, preventing his escape."Tell me what's happening to you." /_

He tensed visibly as the memory flashed through him, and noticing this, Rei let go.

"What Rei..?" he sounded uncertain as he turned to face him, and a look of genuine concern crept into the nekos features. "I just wanted to say thanks- for carrying me back to bed, letting me sleep in- all of it" He said with a smile.

Though Kai seemed unphased, he was truly mad. Here the idiot was thanking him when he'd almost killed him.

"Just don't mention it." he said before continuing up the stairs.

Irritance shot through Rei at the boys tone, and a frown took his lips, fangs partially revealed." Why can't you ever just take a compliment? You always act like you don't care."

Kai, who hadn't been expecting this, faultered. He paused mid step, jaw clenching. "I don't" he spat before heading back up to his room, leaving Rei standing there.

* * *

><p>Though he was still annoyed that Kai would act like such a child, Rei could feel his strength slowly coming back to him. The food had done him well, as had the extra sleep, and he was now convinced that within a day or two he would be himself again.<p>

Walking out to the living room where his other teamates were sprawled about, Rei sat down int the chair Kai had been occupying, a scowl twisting his features.

"Wow Rei- you look just like Kai!" Came the voice of Max, who was laughing harder than Rei had seen him all day. Tyson, upon noticing his companions giddiness, looked over at Rei as well only to crack up in laughter."It's true!" he sputtered, clutching at his sides. "That expression and the way you have your arms folded- it's priceless!"

For a second Rei was mad- he didn't want to be compared to the boy who'd just insulted him- but after a moment, could see the humor in the situation, and laughed with his friends.

* * *

><p>Kai was pacing his bedroom endlessly.<p>

_\\ 'Kai...' the voice was whimpered. /_

Fist tightened around his Blade.

_\\"Tell me what's happening to you." /_

Blood began to trickle from his palm as his attack ring dug into his flesh.

_\\ ' Stop! '/_

He couldn't get the kids voice out of his head.

Dropping Dranzer he closed his eyes and gripped his hair, not caring that the pale blue strands would get matted from the blood. He had to do something about this, but what? He wished he could tell somebody- anybody, but the risk that came with it could put them all in harms way...and as much as Kai would have liked to share this burden, it was his to deal with.

Rei. The boy seamed to have no idea what had happened between them in the Gardens the other night, so why couldn't Kai bring himself to relax? He felt like a caged dog, longing to run but unable to escape it's prison. Rei had forgotten, so why couldn't he?

Deciding that his problems weren't going to lift any time soon, the blader picked up his Phoenix and placed it on the dresser before digging into a drawer for a pair of black sleep pants. He needed a shower.

**Authors Note;;** Tell me what youthink! I look forward to your reviews, next chapter will be up in a day or to ^^


	3. DEJA VU

**Authors Note;;  
><strong>I'd likee to give a big thanks to **Pummy, Kiray Himawari, Suzanna, Soul less life, Mellisuga Helena, and Vampangelkai** for reviewing- hopefully this chapter will clear a little bit of the questions up. From this point onward the true plot will be kicking into gear, so watch out for the action packed next chapter- it might even be up tonight ;)

**CHAPTER 3 - Deja vu**

A familiar silence had enveloped the house, and Rei found himself awake wondering about the upcoming match against the Demolition Boys. If what Kai said was true, then it would take everything they had to defeat the other Team. Glancing down at the Blade in his hand, he felt reassured by the green glow of the Bit-Beast within it, though he couldn't help but feel a bit discouraged. Driger had already left him once for being unworthy of wielding him, and Rei didn't want to feel the loneliness of being separated from the Tiger again. Just as much as he was a part of the Blade, Driger was a part of him.

Sitting up in his bed to see the clock, he groaned softly when he saw that it was only 3:00 am, and Rei let the blankets fall to his waist as he looked over at the bed a few feet away from his own. Max was sound asleep, as he often was. Though Tysons snoring could keep the younger boy awake, Max was actually a fairly heavy sleeper on other terms. Sliding out of bed, he slipped a pair of socks on that were on the floor by his bed, and slowly slipped out of the room.

* * *

><p>All of that thinking had given him a headache, and, knowing he wouldn't be back to bed, he headed downstairs in hopes that some fresh air would help him. He hadn't bothered with a shirt today, the night being to humid to bother, and he paused in the kitchen a moment to grab a glass of water before heading toward the front door. He stopped short, however, upon noticing that it was open. Brows furrowed as stood there, wondering where he had seen this image before.<p>

With the same curiosity of the previous night he stalked forward, cautious but confident. Peering out the door, he found Kai standing by the stairs, his back turned to him. Eyes widened as a feeling made it's way through him. Where had he seen this? He felt unnerved and on edge, so you can see why he jumped when Kai's voice suddenly broke the silence.

"Can't sleep?" asked the older teen, who had heard the boy coming.

Not turning when he heard the screen door open, he was a little surprised to see Rei step up beside him, looking out over the massive field to the forest beyond. The crimson eyed boy also noticed that his silent companion had chosen to go shirtless, leaving him with a clear view of the bite he'd left on his neck. It was a blemish of blue and purple just between the shoulder and neck, the two symmetrical puncture marks looking strangely out of place on the Chinese boys otherwise smooth skin.

He immediately looked away from the mark that taunted him, but Rei had noticed him observing it.

"Do you know what it is? I wanted to ask you about it earlier." Eyes narrowed as he stared out over the field, refusing to look back over at the Tiger.

"Why would I know what it is?" he said sharply, feigning ignorance.

Once again Rei bristled at the harsh tone. "I thought maybe I'd done something when I passed out last night. You found me, so I thought you might know something." he explained before taking a seat on the step. "Sorry for asking." he added coldly.

Kai frowned at the tone of Rei's voice, but didn't say anything, and for a long while there was a silence between them. Ruby gaze however, was drawn back to the mark on the raven haired boys neck.

"Does it..hurt?"

Rei hadn't been expecting Kai to say anything more to him that night, but to his surprise the boy seamed to be concerned for him. Forgetting his annoyance for the other male, Rei leaned back on to his hands, a soft smirk pulling his lips up. "Yeah." He answered honestly.

Kai's jaw clenched a moment before relaxing- he'd known something like that had to be painful, so why did it bother him so much to hear about it?

Noticing that Kai was growing tense, Rei was quick to fix his mistake." It's just kind of sensitive, like when something brushes up against it."

Kai could hear the lie in the boys voice, and with a roll of his eyes ignored the words."You should cover it with something. Those marks...they look deep You don't want to get it infected." said Kai. Rei nodded, and even though his companion wasn't looking at him, he knew that Kai was aware of it.

"So why are you up at this hour? Don't you have to get up early for training?" Inquired Rae from his seat on the steps.

"I could ask you the same thing." he replied with a subtle smirk.

"Oh? I was just having trouble sleeping. The Finals are coming up and...I'm not really sure what to expect.." Rei trailed off, not able to bring up his fear of having Driger taken from him again. If he lost against the Demolition Boys, they had the ability to snatch his beloved Bit-Beast, and though he'd always return for Driger somehow, the loss wasn't something he wanted to experience again.

Kai, sensing his Reis anxiety, descended the stairs in a quick stride, making for the back of the house, where the gardens stood. "Coming? " he called over his shoulder when the Chinese boy didn't follow.

Eyes widened in surprise, but the Tiger rose none the less, jogging after the older boy. They went in silence up one of the many paths into he massive system of plants and flowers. There was a comfortable silence between them, and after a few minutes, Rei found that Kai had led them to a Beyblade Dish. "Kai?" questioned the younger boy, not sure what the point of this was.

"You said you didn't know what to expect...I can show you." Tala and the rest of them had undergone the same experiments as Kai had, and so each of them were also able to control their Bit-Beasts to the fullest. To be as destructive as possible was what Boris had wanted, and to do that, he had come up with another way to bring life to the Bit-Beasts, a way that didn't necissarily involve test tube cloning.

Rei, not expecting this, could only nod and step up to the dish. The boys squared off, each catching the others eye as the prepared to launch.

"Three, Two, One- Let It Rip!".

The Blades collided in the dish immediately, neither one interested in playing a game of cat and mouse. Sparks flew as the two tops clashed, each one trying to out do the other with brute force. For about 30 seconds Kai let this go on, and then it began.

The moment he had launched his blade there had been a pull from somewhere deep inside him. Emotions that were not his own began to boil over within him, and he could feel a pressure in his head. Rage, Greed, Fire. This, was the power of Black Dranzer. Though he no longer controlled the black beyblade, he was still tainted with the power thanks to Boris's experiments.

The center of Kais beyblade began to pulse red as Dranzer began to react to the power seething through Kai. The Phoenix fed off it, stealing the strength it's welder offered and using it for himself. Driger, sensing the challenge of Kais Beast, began to react, and in a moment of blinding green light the White Tiger sprung forth, his semi-transparent fur shining and his massive jaws parted in a feral snarl.

With a screech the Phoenix burst from it's chip, massive wings propelling him into the air. Rei gasped, eyes slitting in synchronization to Drigers as his eyes fell on Dranzer. The bird was not the spirit looking creature that his Driger was any longer, and instead was as solid and real looking as he and Kai themselves. It's feathers crackled like fire, vicious claws and a hooked beak of gold accenting the pitch black eyes.

And then Driger began to change. In a glow his body suddenly became just as solid as Kais Dranzer, and the yellow eyed tiger roared in fury as he was brought to full life in their realm. Rei was speechless, and during this time Kai took his chance.

"Dranzer, now!" the bird reacted instantly, diving like an arrow of fire toward Driger. In his shock Rei hesitated, and by the time he called for Driger to move it was to late, and Kai's Phoenix had it's claws sunk into the back of the massive cat. At the moment that horror struck Rei at the sight of seeing blood run from the open wound of his Beast, pain erupted in his shoulder, a searing, hot pain.

Doubling over he fought to stay on his feet, but was prompted to do so by Kai.

"Focus Rei!" Kai snarled, forcing the boy back into reality. "The experiments Boris ran physically linked the Demolition Boys to their Bit-Beasts. They're blades can then draw on the power of their wielder at an outrageous rate, and are able to influence their opponents into a temporary state of connection, meaning that any harm that befalls the Beast befalls the wielder as well!"

Rei, who still couldn't believe what he was hearing, would have been angry at Kai for putting him in danger if he wasn't sure that the older boy knew exactly what he was doing, and since Rei would have to face a much tougher, much less merciful opponent in just a whiles time, he would use the experience to his advantage.

. "Driger- Tiger Claw Attack!" Massive claws unsheathed themselves, and with a painful wrench of his body the feral cat slashed out at the bird. The white tiger hooked into the birds thigh, ripping the flesh in an explosion of burning feathers that lost their fire and floated to the ground around them.

With a muffled cry Kai fell to one knees, his pantleg ripping open as if Drigers claws had hit him instead of the bird. "Kai!" called Rei, and had been about to run to him when the older teen stopped him by shouting another command to his blade.

"Dranzer, don't let up!" As if the bird had decided it before his master had even said a word, the massive creature dove at Driger again, but this time Rei was ready. "Fall back Driger- use your speed to wear him out!"

In the dish Kai's navy blade tore after Reis, lunging at him again and again, each time missing by a fraction of a second, but in the sky was where the real show was going on. Above them, in complete realness, Dranzer circled tightly around Driger, diving and clawing at him, and each time missing by a hairs width. Despite the tigers injury, he was still faster than the bird by just a bit, managing to keep himself out of harms way.

Kai, by this time, had risen to his feet, and though his pantleg was shredded and blood ran down his leg from a series of gashes on his thigh, he seamed unpleased save for a drop of sweat on his brow.

"How do I beat something that can kill me?" asked Rei, panic laced with determination befalling his features.

"Strategy and strength. When fighting in the Finals you'll have to use your opponents weaknesses against them, otherwise you'll lose- not just the match, but Driger to.

The words seamed to spark something in Rei, whose eyes narrowed to slit." No way will I let that happen again! Driger, tear em apart!"

With a snarl the cat dodged to the left just as the Phoenix's head rushed by him, and with a powerful jump landed on the fiery birds back. Immediately Rei felt the tempreture rise around him, as if he'd just stepped into a sauna. His senses were overwhelmed with humidity and he became light headed, but a second later he was brought back to reality by another snarl of pain from Kai, who had doubled over as the back of his shirt was torn open and blood splattered to the ground at the boys feet.

Before Rei could call it off, Kai ordered his blade to finish it.

With Driger still on his back the flaming bird soared up into the sky, wings spreading wide before he began to plummet toward the ground in a vicious spiral. Rei's eyes widened- what could he do?

Driger, whose fangs were still buried into the back of the bird, reached out with a massive paw to to swipe the side of his opponent, and both Dranzer and Kai winced as the side of Kais shirt was shredded and Dranzers side recieved another slash simultaneously.

Still free falling, a moment before the ground met them, Dranzer flipped, using the force of the fall to smash the Tiger into the dirt. Rei's body exploded in pain and he was thrown backwards into the dirt, as if it had been him run into the ground. The boy collapsed as a wall of dust enveloped everything. When everything settled, Rei was exhausted on the ground, Driger motionless meters away with a massive bird perched atop it, as if it were about to dig into a kill. In the dish Kais blade spun beside a motionless one.

"Dranzer- take Driger away." The words sent a wave of panic through Rei, who, despite feeling like he'd just fallen off a building, felt like he'd just got a shot of adrenaline to the heart. He was stumbling to his feet, blood dripping from various cuts and scrapes along his body, which ached painfully. "No!" he begged, as he stumbled toward the body of his injured tiger, who was beginning to glow along with Dranzer. Slowly their bodies began to fade, and after a second, were but green and red smoke floating toward Kais blade, that was still spinning inches away from Reis motionless one.

"Stop!"

/ "Stop!" \\ the memory of Rei's command in the Gardens shook him, and in his surprise his focus faltered. The red glow of Dranzers mist released Driger, and the Green mist entered it's own Blade instead. Rei dove for the top, snatching it from the dome in a panic before picking up Kai's blade which had slowed to a stop after it's Beast returned.

Kai helped him out of the dish before he was handed his top. "This is what you can expect from Tala, Brian, Ian, and Spencer- but they wont give your Beast back if you lose."

"How can this be?" whispered Rei as he sunk to the ground on his knees- he needed a rest. Kai, seeing that the younger teen wasn't ready to move quite yet, sunk down in the grass in front of him.

"Boris found a way to better fuse our DNA to our Bit-Beasts. The piece of them that is in us makes us stronger than most, and we can endure more. Because the part of the Beast that is in us is a copy, like a clone, we can transfer it's power into the Bit in our Blade by opening up a 'Link'. Though our Bit-Beast will get stronger, we'll get weaker from them drawing their power from us, and we also risk suffering their injuries with them. Use a little more energy and you can extend that Link to your opponent, meaning they'll connect on a similar level with their blade causing the Beast to take solid form. Once you do this, you are able to drag their Beast into your own Blade once they are weak enough."

Rei couldn't believe what he was hearing, How did one fuse their DNA with a monsters? But more importantly..."Can they use these Bit-Beasts?"

"Yes, and there's no telling how many Beasts a blade might have. That's how Voltaire plans to protect Biovolt- by creating these all powerful blades with multiple Beasts in them. When one goes down there will always be another to take it's place." continued Kai.

"But if they draw power from their bladder, how can they control more than two or three of the Beasts without draining themselves to death?" asked Rei, golden eyes clouded with confusion.

"They can't. Once their energy is totally used they die, and the Blades passed on to the next competent blader. Nobodies' ever been able to control more than three before collapsing and dying- that's why I never tried to use anything other than Black Dranzer." he explained.

After this a long moment of silence passed between them as Rei tried to comprehend just what he'd experienced. "Do the others know?"

Kai shook his head. He'd told them all about how Boris was capturing and cloning the Bit-Beasts into the real thing for Biovolt, but never that he, nor the Demolition Boys, had this kind of power.

"You have to show them this Kai- Tyson and Max deserve to know just what the Demolition Boys are capable of." begged Rei, knowing that the crimson eyed male wouldn't be keen on sharing his secrets with anyone else.

"It's not that easy ." Kai mumbled softly.

"What do you mean 'it's not that easy' ? All we have to do is-"

"Rei!" Growled Kai, cutting off the raven haired teen. "There are...consequences to using this power, and if I do it again so soon..." his words trailed off, not wanting to give to much away. Rei, who was afraid that his friend would suffer a fatality of some sort if he was forced into battling like that so soon, just nodded.

"Can you choose when to 'access' this power, or does it happen on it's own?" asked Rei after another moment of silence.

"I can always feel it there, like a pull, but I can usually control it." 'Usually.' he thought. If he fought again to soon, and Dranzer drew to much energy from him, the beast inside him would start to struggle under the binds Kai had on it, and the dual haired boy couldn't afford the risk that meant taking. Wanting to change the subject from himself his let his gaze fall on Rei.

The shirtless boys had numerous scratched and small cuts on his chest and arms along with a few cuts in his pants. There was a particularly large cut on his cheek, but nothing compared to the nasty gash that had his back covered in blood. His loose hanging hair was getting wet from the red substance, and his pants were beginning to stain. "That's pretty bad- we should go take care of it." mumbled the older boy before slowly getting to his feet

Rei followed suit, chuckling softly before replying with a quick, "You don't look much better yourself."

* * *

><p>Kai led the way up the front steps of the porch, trying with success to keep the limp from his leg. Though Driger had gotten his claws into the Phoenix good, Kai found that he had not suffered severe injuries, and the muscle and tendon beneath the torn flesh was left in tact. Rae, too, had not suffered any serious injuries, though he seemed rather week, and so when they stepped through the front door Kai ordered him to go take a shower. There was no point in covering up your wounds just to trap dirt in them.<p>

Slowly and as quietly as possible the pair ascended the stairs and turned into the hallway, heading for their respective rooms. "Your gonna wake Max up."

Rei froze with his hand on the doorknob when he realized Kai was right- turning on the shower would disturb his blond friend, and he silently cursed not having his own room.

"Just grab your clothes- you can use mine." he said nonchalantly before opening the door to his own room and disappearing inside.

Tiptoeing into his own room Rei put Driger down on his dresser, hand lingering on it for just a moment as he realized he had almost lost him again. It had been almost easy for Kai to overpower him, and the younger teen knew that if he were going to have any chance of defeating the Demolition Boys, if any of them were to have a chance, they were going to have to step things up.

Reaching into a drawer he grabbed a shirt, pants, and pair of socks before slipping out without causing Max to stir. Quickly he made his way to the Kai's room, knocking softly before slipping. The older boy was in the middle of taking his shirt of, and Rei found his cheeks flush softly as he found himself staring.

"Bathrooms over there." motioned Kai after tossing his shirt to the ground by his bed, turning to try and see the gash on his back in the dressers mirror. Rei, who hadn't been able to see it before now, winced visibly. 'Driger did that...?' he thought to himself, mentally kicking himself for letting the cat be so rough.

Right between Kais' shoulder blades were two startlingly deep puncture wounds. They bled freely, though it didn't look as if any serious damage had been dealt. There was something about this though that cause Rei to pause- the marks on Kais back looked like a much bigger version of the ones on his neck- minus the bruising.

Noticing the look on the golden eyed boys face Kai turned his back away from him, motioning to the bathroom. "It's fine." he said sharply, "Go take your shower."

For a moment the younger male hesitated, but with a tired nod he passed Kai and entered the bathroom. Once the door was shut, he paused in front of the mirror, gazing at himself. Dirt was strewn all over him, stinging some of the cuts that littered his body. Most were minor scrapes that bled lightly, but there was one on his cheek and another on his ribs that burned a little more than the others. Then his eyes went to the mark on his neck.

There was still a bruise around it, but in just one day it had faded considerably, and the puncture marks were beginning to scab over, indicating they had already begun healing.

It couldn't be possible that teeth had made those marks, could it? Despite the suspicion that rose within him, Rei shook his head. "Don't be ridiculous." he said with a weak laugh, "There's no such thing as bloodsuckers."

With that he turned the water on and stepped inside the shower. Immediately he wanted to shy away from the water, witch assaulted his wounds mercilessly. Biting down he forced himself to remain still, letting the soft thunder of the shower press against him, cleaning his flesh and injuries. It was hard to just stand there. His body was exhausted and the heat from the water was making him light-headed...

* * *

><p>The moment the bathroom door shut behind Rei, Kai visibly relaxed. The beast inside him had stirred upon sensing the blood and energy seeping freely from the other boy, and Kai had been plagued with whispers in his mind, the sound of his own distorted voice tempting him. The crimson eyed teen was in control though, and he simply snarled in his head and pushed the thoughts away, arguing that they weren't truly his own.<p>

Stepping over to a small cupboard in the corner of the room he opened it to reveal a medical kit, witch he promptly pulled out. Hearing that the shower had started and that Rei was occupied, Kai quickly changed into a pair of navy shorts, allowing him to get a good look at the damage to his thigh. Four, clean cut slices ran down the outside of his leg. The bleeding had stopped, but there was a persistent throb of pain that wouldn't fade.

Pulling the cap off of the alcohol he bit down on the shirt he'd removed only a few moments ago before pouring the fluid right on the wound. He winced sharply, biting back a groan of discomfort as the open gashes were assailed by the infection eating liquid. Putting the bottle aside he let it sit a few moment before covering it with an antibacterial strip and wrapping it tightly. By the time he'd finished bandaging the one on his ribs the water in the bathroom had turned off, and Rei was stepping out, a pair of loose fitting shorts clinging to his slim waist..

"Aren't you gonna shower too?" he asked in confusion, noting that Kai had already begun to bandage himself.

"Tomorrow. Your cuts had dirt in them, mine don't." he replied casually. Rei wasn't exactly sure this was the case, but he wasn't in the mood to argue tonight.

"Here." Kai handed him the bottle of alcohol and a few smaller bandages so that Rei could cover the slice on his cheek and the one on his ribs. Standing in front of the mirror so he could see what he was doing, the raven haired boy went to work. He wasn't fond of the sharp shooting pain that came from pressing the cool fluid against his cuts, especially since he felt like he'd just tenderized them by showering. In a few minutes however, he had the worst of the smaller cuts done. 'What about my back...?'

"Kai, do you think you could...?" asked Rei with an apologetic grin, motioning to his back.

With a soft sight of irritance the other male rose and made his way to the dresser- at least this way he could get Rei to cover his as well."Turn around." he said gruffly before reaching for the alcohol.

The boy obliged and, facing the mirror so he could partially see Kai in the reflection, exposed his back to the boy. Kai noticed immediately that the wound, though free of dirt, was red and puffy from being irritated by the water. On top of that, Rei seemed to be unknowingly shaking. It was subtle, and at first the older teen didn't even notice, but after a moment he was positive. Maybe that battle hadn't been the best idea after all. Rei was still getting his strength back from their encounter in the Garden, and Kai couldn't help but feel like an idiot- he'd just taken more blood from the Tiger! No wonder he could see the exhaustion in the boys form.

As Kai twisted the cap off the disinfectant, Rei suddenly lost his nerve.

"Do we really have to use that stuff? I mean I just cleaned it in the shower..." In the mirrors reflection he could see Kai smirk at his uncertainty, and putting on his 'brave face', the neko 'hmph'ed' defiantly before adding, "Nevermind- just do it."

Placing a hand on Rei's uninjured to keep him still, he then poured a good bit right on to the clawed shoulder. Rei hissed loudly while trying to hide his disdain, the muscles in his back tensing as it arched away from the bottle. "Stand still." growled Kai, as he pulled the boy back toward him. With the worst of it over he placed a sterilized strip over the raw gashes before grabbing the bandage and dressing the wound.

"Thanks." muttered Rei as his eyes drooped. Everything was starting to catch up with him, but he couldn't go to bed yet. Grabbing the alcohol of the dresser he turned around to grin wickedly at Kai. "Your turn."

Kai should have known that the neko would have offered to do his anyway even if it was only to get back at him. With a challenging rise of his brow he switched spots with the boy, now the one to stand in front of the mirror. He watched Rei in the reflection, studying his laceration. The boy, who had been smug only a moment ago, now had his face twisted into a look of determined sympathy. Kai could tell he wasn't keen on inflicting anymore pain than the cut itself was doing, but Rei knew it had to be done.

Slowly, almost dreading it, Rei tipped the bottle and let the components run down Kais back. The older boy bit back his pain much better than Rei had, though it was still clear that it hurt. Reaching for the sterilized pad and bandage, Rei went to work with shaking hands. He found that Kai had much more tolerance than he, for the older boy didn't wince once during the process, and to his dismay Rei found himself wondering if Kai had done this often in his past. From what he'd told the team of the Abbey, it was all too likely that the boy had found himself in this situation before.

After a minute or two of fussing with the bandage, Rei found himself satisfied and finished up, eyes drooping heavily. Kai, noticing the boys sway in the mirror, narrowed his carmine eyes in confusion before he understood. A moment later, Rei collapsed, and Kai spun around just in time to catch the boy in his arms.

"Rei!" called the older teen, worry in his voice. Though the raven haired boy was still conscious, he couldn't seam to gather his legs beneath him, and with lids half closed, he found himself utterly limp in Kais arms. 'He's so warm...' it was an odd thought for the situation, but the Tiger just hadn't been expecting it- Kai was such a cold person Rei just hadn't expected such warmth.

With a frown the Russian gathered the younger boy in his arms, walking over to his bed and carefully placing him on the sheets. The navy comforter, which was pulled down by Reis feet was hastily grabbed and draped over the boy in a single, effortless movement. "Kai...it's really not necessary-"

"Shut it Kon." interupted the elder with a soft laugh before reaching over to turn off the light. He, once again, would stop by the hallways closet and grab an extra blanket before heading downstairs to the couch.

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><p><strong>Authors Note;;<strong> Read and Review! Also, I have a new story coming out soon, it too is a Rei X Kai fic, so keep an eye out for that. I am going to try and have the fourth chapter up by tonight as I was a little longer delivering the third than I planned ^^


	4. LIGHTS OUT

**Authors Note;;**

Here's the action, just like I promised ^^

you'll get some fluff in later chapters as wel, so stick around!

**Chapter 4 - Lights Out**

Morning came much earlier than Rei would have preferred, and with the light shining in his eyes from the drapes that had been left open, groaned softly. Rolling off of his back and on to his stomach he winced slightly from a pain in his back, and the memories of the night before came rushing back to him. That familiar smell...It was Kai. For the second night in a row Rei had awoken in his room, and with a slight frown he glanced at the clock. 1:00 pm. Not nearly as bad as last time he'd been left to sleep in, but he still wasn't pleased about it. Sliding from the softness of the blanket he got to his feet and headed back to his room to change.

Pausing only to toast a slice of bread and butter it, Rei ran out the back door, toast in one hand, Driger in the other. The guys were in the field out front, where Rei and Kai had battled only hours ago. Nobody would notice the few droplets of blood that scattered the ground by the dish, which Max and Tyson were practicing in. Kai and Hilary stood near by watching, while Kenny updated the new info into his records. From what Kai had told them, they would need every statistical advantage to win in the Finals against the Demolition Boys.

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><p>With a grin, Rei went running towards his friends. "Hey guys!" he called as he came to stand beside Tyson, staring down into the dish to watch the battle. Tyson was wailing on Draciel, but the Blade remained steadfast and in place, reflecting each of the Dragons attacks.<p>

"What happened to you?" asked Hilary, noticing the bandage on Rei's cheek.

"Couldn't sleep so I did some training last night- things got pretty wild." he said with a grin, never hinting at what had truly happened.

"Max, your defense is strong, but it will take more than that to win in the Finals. You'll either have to bring your stamina up so you can wear your opponents down before finishing them off, our you'll have to center your power and force them out of the dish!" called Kai, not really pleased with what he was seeing in the dish. Wen Rei arrived however, a thought passed through his head."Kon, launch Driger."

"What?" scoffed Tyson. "That's not fair!" he said with a frown.

"Tysons right Kai, Driger-" Began Rei, only to be cut off.

"Rei, they need to be reminded just who their going to be battling." The look in Kais eyes dawned sudden understanding in Rei- of course! Kai had said he couldn't demonstrate anything to them yet, but he didn't say that they couldn't be pushed...

Not wasting another moment, Rei launched his blade. "Get em Driger!" Commanded the Chinese boy. As Rei intended, the blade came crashing down on Draciel. Sparks flew, and after a few seconds of struggling the Tiger was thrown back, but he used the momentum to ricochet off of Tyson and slam back into Max's top. Tyson, who had been messing around, was beginning to grow serious.

"Dragoon, don't let him push you around like that- get in there!" yelled the navy haired boy, and a second later the dueling due become a battling trio. Max, realizing his defense would lead to his defeat at this point, went on the attack. The three blades circled one another tightly, smashing off one another and sending each other flying only to come right back into the Frey.

"Driger, step it up!"

Reis blade left a trail of sparks as it shot through the dish, his speed remarkable. He circled the dish swiftly, and then in a single swoop came crashing into Tysons blade, sending it flying back to balance on the rim of the dish. Dragoon barely caught himself, and went hurling towards Rei who met him head on in a collision. Tyson, who was so caught up with Driger, forgot about Max, and the Americans blade crashed into his, knocking it out of the dish into the grass.

"What! No way!" yelled the Japanese boy in disbelief, but Rei was too focused on the clash between him and Max to hear.

"Come and get me Maxie!" Taunted the neko with a laugh, and with a devilish grin the blond took the bait. The green blade went lashing out at the Tiger, and each time at the last moment Driger would leap out of the way, letting the slower blade glide by. For a few more seconds this went on, and then Rei went for the kill.

"Driger, Tiger Claw Attack!" the roar of the Tiger erupted from the blade, and switching from defense to offense, the grey top went racing towards Draciel at an astonishing pace. In a hail of sparks they collided, and Max's blade went flying out of the dish.

With a single roar of victory the white tigers glow disappeared, and he circled the dish one last time before flying out of the dish to be caught by Rei. Kai smiled softly at the golden eyed teen, who caught his gaze at the last moment as if to say 'don't worry'. Rei had learned plenty from their match last night.

"Wow Rei that was great!" Exclaimed Kenny from the Sidelines, who was agreed with by Dizzi.

"Keep that up and you'll do fine in the finals!" called Hilary from her seat beside The Chief. Though the raven haired boy flashed her a smile, he wasn't to sure, and Kai was relieved to see that the boy wasn't overconfident- he would pay the ultimate price if he was.

Stepping up to the other side of the dish, Tyson held out Dragoon. "Let's go again Rei! Dragoon will definitely win this time!" Grinned Tyson as if he'd already won. Stepping forward to accept the challenge, Rei launched Driger once more.

* * *

><p>At around six o'clock the gang stumbled in through the front door. Kicking their shoes off, they headed toward the kitchen enthusiastically. Tyson, Hilary, Max, and Kenny all plopped into chairs at the table while Kai took up his usual post in the doorway and Rei went to the stove. About an hour ago he had come in to start dinner, and now the kitchen has filled with the smell of a richly spiced stew.<p>

Tyson, who was drooling at the table over his bowl, was eying the massive pot on the stove like a starving dog watched a trash can. "That smells great Rei, when's it gonna be ready?" Whined the Dragon as he shifted in his seat.

"Tyson!" Laughed Max, though the slight undertone in his voice steered the other teen away from complaining farther.

"It smell amazing!" said Hilary with a smile, who was holding her spoon in anticipation of the meal to come.

"Hilary's right- I can't wait to try it." agreed Kenny, causing Rei to smile.

"It's nothing guys- we trained hard today anyways, so we deserve a good dinner." Rei replied modestly.

" I couldn't agree more buddy!" exclaimed Tyson with a thumbs up.

Kai, who hadn't said anything, could feel his golden eyed team mates anxiety, and knew right away what the boy was trying to do. Though the good meals would do them well health wise, it would take more than just healthy bodies to win this, and keep their Bit-Beasts. He had to admit though- they were off to a decent start. They had trained hard today, Rei in particular stepping it up. He was merciless to his team mates, witch had surprised Kai at first. By the end of the day though, the dual haired captain found he had come to admire the Tigers spirit.

A few minutes later Rei added one last spice to the stew, stirred it, and turned the stove off. "Foods ready!" he said with a smile, and everyone, including Kai, grabbed their bowls and went to the stove to get their food.

* * *

><p>The group finished dinner at around 7:30, and once again found themselves strewn about in the front sitting room. This time however, the bunch was not lively like they had been on previous days. Kai, with the help of Rei, had given the team one hell of a work out. With dinner in their bellies and exhaustion wearing them down, the teens were all settled down to watch a movie- once again, in Russian. This time Kai refused to translate.<p>

It was about half way through this movie, when 2 of the six teens were successfully asleep on their various patched of furniture, that the power went out. Tyson and Rei, , who were sharing the sectional in slumber, were hastily awoken by the others, who all began to chatter at once.

"Whats going on?" called Hilary's voice above the rest.

"It's probably just a power outage," said Max with an uncertain smile that nobody saw in the darkness. "Right Tyson?" he called for his best friends assurance from his spot on the floor in front of the T'v.

"Of course it is Max, what else could it-"

SMASH!

The window behind the sectional shattered, causing all of the Blade Breakers to yelp and duck for cover as shards of glass and dust was sent hailing through the room.

Kai, who had heard the whizzing of the approaching blade mere seconds before it struck the glass, had a sinking feeling come over him. 'He wouldn't...' growled the boy inwardly.

"Rei, Kenny, get the lights on!" The boys could hear their Captain from over by the front door, and with a sharp nod they both bolted for the basement door which could be found in the hallway right before you entered the kitchen.

"Max, Tyson; do a sweep of the house- makes sure nobodies in here!" growled the older boy to the remaining two before heading out the front door.

Hilary, who'd been forgotten in the mess, hurried over to the boys and ducked behind them, content to follow them around as they looked through the rooms.

* * *

><p>Kai, who had gotten a momentary glimpse of the attacking blade, now had a sinking feeling as he stepped out on to the porch. Though he appeared to be calm and attentive, Kai was actually unnerved. Standing motionless on the porch for a moment, it wasn't long until he heard the tell tale sound of a blade tearing through the grass. Carmine eyes found it quickly in the dark because of the intense glow coming from the bit, and he watched as it tore out into the field toward the forest, where a red head stood just before the treeline. 'Tala.'<p>

Reaching into his pocket to pull out Dranzer, Kai stalked off toward the forest in the distance.

* * *

><p>Rei and Kenny had descended the basement stairs in complete darkness. Kenny kept a hand lightly on the taller boys shoulder, knowing the neko could manage his way down here better than he could."Where is that flashlight?" mumbled Rei, running his hand along the shelf at the bottom of the stairs."Don't worry about it- I brought my laptop, we can use the screens light." replied Kenny, opening his electronic and turning it on. Though not as efficient as a flashlights beam would have been, the pale light from the handheld computer cut through the darkness, and was enough to light their way.<p>

"Ow- watch where your going Chief!" grumbled Rei as the boy walked into him for the third time in less than a minute."It's not my fault you keep stopping like that." replied the smaller boy sheepishly. Rei had been about to reply when Kenny spoke up again. "Look, there's the power box!" pointed Kenny, rushing over to the gray box on the wall. Prying it open and looking inside he frowned. "It wasn't a power outage- somebody manually turned the lights off."

"Can you fix them?" asked Rei, a touch of worry to his voice.

"Of course! It's just a matter of flipping a few switches and pressing a few buttons...voila!" said the Chief, and the lights went on. At that exact moment though they heard a bang around the corner from them. With a growl Rei ran around the corner, Kenny hot on his tail, only to find that the basement door leading to the Gardens was wide open. "Wait here Kenny."

"No way! I'm not getting caught by myself!" replied the other boy, who promptly made his way out of the door into the back yard with Rei. The moment they both stepped into the moonlit yard something went whizzing by Rei's face, tearing the bandage on his cheek off before deflecting off of the house beside them. A moment later it soared across the yard, back into it's owners hand.

* * *

><p>"So much for a power outage.." mumbled Max nervously as the trio made their way back into the living room. They had checked the kitchen, sitting rooms, and all the bedrooms, and so far there was nothing. Kai, who had taken off without warning, had left them all paranoid." Don't worry Max- I'm sure we'll be fine." said Hilary, trying to encourage the boy when even she wasn't certain of her own words.<p>

"Come on guys," called Tyson from the doorway, "We still haven't gone upstairs." With a groan the other two went after him before he disappeared into the darkness. Much to their relief, they only got half way up the stairs before the power went back on. "Much better!" Exclaimed the American with a grin. And then they heard something. Everyone froze at the sound of scuffling feet, and with an anxious glance toward one another they hastily climbed the remaining stairs. It was coming from Rei's room.

Signal ling for Hilary to hide, Tyson took one side of the door while Max Lent against the other, and on a silent count to three, threw the door open. "Hold it!" Yelled Tyson as he and Max burst into the room, Beyblades drawn.


End file.
